Die for metal-expanding machines



Aug. 19(1924.

J. A. HALLS DIE FOR METAL EXPANDING mcamas Filed zso, 1922 2 Sheets$heet 1 Ja /w fi 6 4 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 30

J A HALLS DIE FOR METAL EXPANDING MACHINES Aug. 19. 1924.

INVENTOR.

was /l J? #4146 WIrNESSES Afro/wax Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

PATENT JOSEPH A. HALLS, .O'F YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL F1RJZEJELROOF.-

ING COMPANY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, 01-110, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DIE non MErAL-nxrAnnrne Meantime.

Application filed August 30, 1922. Serial No. 585,248.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEP H A. HALLS, citi Zen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State 5 of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dies for Metal-EX- panding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metal expanding 1 machines, and more particularly to an improvement in the means for opening the slitted sheet into meshes.

To that end the invention contemplates a novel expanding die that provides a greater bearing surface against the die block and also has features of construction which practically double its life as compared with the ordinary single die, and yet at the same time involves little additional cost for fabrication, besides obviating wastage of metal. A further object of the invention is to provide an expanding unit for opening the strands of the slitted sheets into meshes which consists of the novel die above referred to and a suitable deflector disc cooperating therewith.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts here inafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical cross sectional View of a portion of the machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the portion of the machine showing several of the expander units.

Figure 3 is a detail plan view of one of the improved dies.

Figure 4 is an end view thereof.

Figure 5 is an edge view of the die shown in Figure 3.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several fig ures of the drawings.

As previously indicated, the novel and distinctive feature of the present invention is that of a special die constructionfor cooperating with deflecting means to provide an expanding unit for opening the strands of the slitted sheet into meshes, the die being designated generally as A and the deflecting disc designated as B. I

As will be observed" from the drawings, more particularly Figures 3, 4; and 5, the

said die A consists of a body 1 provided on one face thereof and at the o'pposite'ends 2 with a series of steps or shoulders 3 extending obliquely thereof, thereby providing du plicate sets of inclined shoulders atopposite ends of the die. I

require the use of much more metal than a single die consequently making it possible to provide, in effect, two dies at the cost of one.

The intermediate portion of the die body 1 is provided with theelongated openings 4 for receiving fastening screws 5 for securing the die to the die block 6 of the machine. Obviously, by reason of the elongated openings d, it is possible to adjustthe' die on the die block within the desired limits so as to seat the same accurate- 1y with reference to dies of adjacent ex-- panding units, accuracy of alinement of the dies being essential to continuous operation of the machine and a perfect product. i

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the deflector disk B overlies the stepped end of the die A so as to positively deflect the strands of the slitted metal sheet againstthe shoulders 3 of the die. This deflector disc B may be carried by the knurled feedingroller 7 which cooperates with a correspondingly knurled feed roller 8, nested in the die block, to feed the slitted metal sheet through the machine and against'the shoulders 3' of the die A, so that, as the sheet is continuously fed or propelled by rollers 7 and 8 through the pass formed thereby the previously slitted strands of the blank Will be opened into meshes to form a diamond-mesh expanded metal fabric.

Although the present improvement may be adapted for use on various types of machines, nevertheless, for illustrative purposes'the said rollers? and 8 may be carried upon the shafts s and s, the latter being the drive shaft because it has associated therewith the bevel drive gear 8 Which is driven by the relatively large driving gear 8 The driving gear 8 as Well as the other associated parts of the apparatus, are similar to and perform the general functions of the metal expanding machine illustrated in the patent to H. E. White, No. 1,061,953 dated May 13, 1913.

From 'the foregoing it is thought that the features and advantages of the improvement Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim':

1. A die for metal expanding comprising a body having on thereof and at each side of its transverse center a plurality ofobliquely extending shoulders, said shoulders facing outwardly at opposite ends of the die.

2. In a metalexpanding apparatus, an expanding unit comprising a reversible die having oblique shoulders and deflecting apparatus one face means for moving the strands ofthe fabric into engagement With said shoulders.

3. In a metal expanding apparatus, an expanding unit comprising a reversible die having duplicate sets of inclined shoulders, and deflecting means for moving the strands of the fabric into engagement With saidoexpanding unit comprising a reversible die having duplicate sets of inclined shoulders and arotary. deflecting disc overlying said inclined shoulders and adapted to move the strands of the fabric into engagement there- With.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOSEPH A. HALLS.

l Vitnesses W C. CONJELL, E. W. DAYKIN.- 

